Worlds Apart
by JezRoll
Summary: While on Kelowna with SG1, Jonas catches a glimps of the life he left behind.


Note: This is the companion piece for _Decisions_. While this fic can be read separately, there are references to _Decisions_ that will make much more sense if it is read first.

This story was inspired by andrewjameswilliams. To andrew: if you get to read this, sorry it took my so long to get around to writing it. Thank you for the idea, I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places found in Stargate and I do not receive payment for their use in my writing.

Worlds Apart:

Jonas followed the rest of SG-1 down the corridor. It felt so strange to him, walking in that familiar hall, yet not being a part of it anymore. He felt out of place, the people with whom he had once worked now gave him strange looks as he passed them. He felt isolated, everyone here thought that he had betrayed them.

"Are you feeling well, Jonas Quinn?" Teal'c asked. The Jaffa had picked up on Jonas' uneasiness.

The Kelownan smiled. "I'm fine," he said, though he knew that he wasn't fooling either of them. This place unnerved him. These same halls he had once walked freely now felt like a trap waiting to spring if he moved the wrong way. The corners and niches he had once loved to explore, and had often used as an escape from the difficulties of his work, threatened him with the ominous whispers of their shadowy depths. With a pang of sadness, he finally realized that his home world would most likely never be his home again.

"Jonas, can we talk for a second?" Major Carter's request brought Jonas out of his nostalgia. She had pulled her pace even with his and turned her head to whisper softly to him. "Look, I know this is going to be a little hard for you, but we really need you in on this. The Kelownan government wants more than we can give, and you're our best shot at convincing them that what we're offering is more valuable than weapons."

Jonas gave a small sigh. "Major Carter, I really don't know if I can help here. They don't trust me. Just look into their eyes, and you can see most of them hate me for what I did"

Sam gave the Kelownan a reassuring smile. "I'm not saying it will be easy. But maybe someone will still be willing to listen. Dr. Kieran still trusts you." She paused, waiting to see if Jonas would respond. "Just do what you can."

Jonas simply nodded in reply. There was nothing more to be said. A small sigh escaped him as Major Carter moved back up to walk with Colonel O'Neill. All Jonas really wanted was to get away from this place. He could not tell exactly what would happen, but he knew that the Kelownan High Council would not settle for what SG-1 had come to offer.

Another turn brought them into a broad corridor lined with windows. The Kelownan capitol sprawled out before Jonas's eyes. He could not see his old house from there, but he traced the turns of the streets leading to it with his eyes. Another wave of nostalgia swept over him as he gazed out over the bustling roads. He was so close to his former life, yet worlds away from it at the same time.

Jonas suddenly realized how close they were passing to the public areas of the building. He found it strange that the Kelownan government would risk an exposure of their visitors from earth. As they neared a corridor that would lead down into the main hall of the building, Jonas could not help but peer around into the everyday life of Kelowna, wondering how many of the people in the room beyond knew that everything they believed about their universe was wrong. He knew that most had no idea. It was this thought that gave him purpose everyday. This thought was the fuel that had allowed him to risk everything he knew to do what he thought right.

The hallway opened up into the view of the main building. Jonas slowed his pace, taking in the glimpse of his former life. Then, for a moment, he paused. There among the lines and clumps of people stood his father. He looked almost exactly as Jonas remembered him, but something was not quite the same. His father's frame was slightly thinner than it had been, and his figure bent ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly, as under some weight or strain. As Jonas watched, his father turned toward him, as if he knew Jonas was there.

Their eyes met. In that moment, Jonas wished he could turn back time. He wished that he could undo what had happened in the last few months and just be with his family again. Hundreds of thought ran through his head. There was so much he wanted to do, so much he wanted to say to his father. He could only imagine what stories the government had concocted to explain his sudden disappearance.

Jonas stopped in the threshold of the intersecting halls; he could feel his father looking him over. Confusion was written over the older man's face. But slowly, his face changed. A solemn expression replaced his bewilderment. His shoulders straitened out into the firm posture that Jonas remembered them having. A small smile or relief pulled at the corners of Jason Quinn's lips. And Jonas knew, without a doubt, that his father was not angry; he was proud.

_"I'm sure you'll do the right thing."_ Those were the words Jonas's father had spoken to him the night before Jonas left for Earth. Suddenly, Jonas felt lighter. He had done the right thing. Nothing could change what had happened, and all Jonas could do now was try to help his people in any way he could.

"Jonas, you coming?" Colonel O'Neill and the rest of SG-1 had stopped when Jonas fell behind. The waited now at the end of the corridor along with their guide.

Jonas took one last look down the hall at his father. "Yeah," he replied, turning once again from his past. _Goodbye, Papa_, he sent out his last farewell in silence.

* * *

Jason Quinn gazed down the hall where his son had just stood. Ever since Jonas's disappearance, he had wondered when, or even if, he would ever see his son again. He had not expected it to be like this. Jonas was dressed in a completely foreign manner. The black vest and green jack unlike anything even the Teranian or Andari wore. There were three others dressed the same way, he had seen them pass the entrance before Jonas had walked passed.

Jason had remembered the conversation he and Jonas had the night before his son disappeared. It still did not make complete sense to him, but Jason knew that somehow this was part of it all. Whatever Jonas had become a part of was important. The knowledge that his son was alive and well would have to be enough for him.

"Papa?"

Jason turned to his daughter's voice. "Karis, you should be at school," he admonished quietly.

"Professor Kieran has taken ill." Karis studied her father carefully. Jason knew she was searching for an answer. "What is it?" she finally asked. "Did you finally find something out about Jonas?"

A dozen answers filtered through Jason's mind. Should he tell her what he had seen? Certainly this was neither the time nor the place for that. He could not tell an outright lie; she always knew when he tried that.

Jason sighed and took his daughter's hand, leading her towards the door. "Why don't we go have some lunch?" He asked, a humor creeping into his voice that had not sounded from him for months now.

"Fine," Karis replied, linking her arm in his with a smile, "keep your secret then."

As the two walked toward the doors, Jason allowed himself one last look back to the now distant hallway. _Good bye, Jonas. I love you, Son._ He stepped out into the sunlight with his daughter, happy to know that the future would be brighter for them all.


End file.
